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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' H. H. GORTER. PORTABLE WATER BATTERY. N0. 605,446. Patented June 7,1898.

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r H. H. GORTER.

PORTABLE WATER BATTERY.

No. 605,446. Patented June 7,1898.

w rnfl A 4 A a x irr YATES HENRY II. GORTER,

" PORTABLE WATER-BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,446, dated June '7, 1898. Application filed December 10,1897. ri l N 661,468. No model.)

To aZZ whom it. may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY H. Gonrnraa citizen of the United States, residing'at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable lVater-Batteries and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

My invention relates to improvements in portable water batteries, such as are de scribed in my application now pending for a United States patent, dated March 23, 1897, Serial No. 628,862. In that application I have disclosed a fire-extinguishing apparatus which comprises a carriage having a movable platform provided with means for siamesing or uniting and concentrating the streams from two or more fire-engines into a single pipe and forcing it from a single nozzle.

My invention relates to improvements in such an apparatus, and resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts hereinafter fully specified, and

particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal Vertical section of the portable water-battery provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail sectional view of the locking device for the platform. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the battery-carriage. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View of the hose-supporter. Fig. 6 is a partial rear View of the same, and Fig.7 is a vertical sectional detail.

A represents a strong frame which is mounted upon the axle B of a'two-wheeled vehicle. Attached to and projecting from the forward end of the frame A is a pair of shaftsD for a single horse, or a pole for two horses could be used for draft purposes.

An opening is made in the frame A above the axleof sufficient size to accommodate a platform E, and this platform is large enough to serve as the fou'ndation'an'd support of the siamesing-c'hamber, supply-pipes, and discharge-pipe. A short distance in front of this opening in which the platform E is mounted I secure to the main frame A one end of a rod or standard .I by means of a hinge-joint a, which is so constructed that the standard I can fall toward the opening. This rod has its lower end journaledin the hinge, so that it can be turned by means of a hand-wheel b at its opposite or upper end. A screw-thread cl is cut on theupper end of the rod- J and another hinge has a side extension through which a corresponding hole tapped with a corresponding screw-thread passes, so that the hinge 6 can be raised or lowered along the rod by turning the hand-wheel h in whatever position the rod may assume.

The front end of the platform E is connected with the adjustable hinge 6, so that the rod and its two hinges constitute a link whose length can be adjusted or varied by means of the hand-wheel and screw-rod. This rod and its hinges therefore connect the front end of the platform with the main frame and permit them to assume different relations and planes. In other words, it permits the platform E to be adjusted to a horizontal position even when the main frame stands at an inclined plane, which it will do when the shafts are dropped to the ground, and at the same time and by the same movement it permits the platform E to move forward and thus ac'-.

complisha further purpose that will be hereinafter explained.

The rear end of the platform E is suspended in the opening by the following-described mechanism: A depending bracket or hanger Fis secured to the frame A on each side of the opening near its rear end, and the lower ends of these hangers form bearings for the ends of a rock-shaft G, which extends across below the rear end of the platform. lever-cam I-I extends vertically from. this rockshaft up to and is connected with the platform E near each side. A forward rotation of the rock-shaft causes the throw of the leverarms H to move the platform forward a corresponding distance, the link action of the rod and hinges at the forward end acting in conjunction with the rock-shaft at the rear end.

The front and rear edges of the opening in the main frame are rabbeted, as shown at f, and the under side of the platform, at each end, is chamfered or beveled so that the front and rear edges of the platform rest upon and it in the rabbets'When the main frame is brought to a horizontal position and the platform E is thrown back and adjusted to the opening.

The drivers seat P is mounted on the main I frame A of the cart just in front of the opening in which the platform E rests. This seat is mounted on hinged legs or supports Z i, so that it can be thrown forward to be out of the way when the apparatus is stationary. The forward legs Z have each a rectangular arm Z extending rearward from their lower ends, so as to rest and bear upon the fioor of the frame A when the seat is thrown up for use. 1' is a rotary spring-latch for latching the arm in position when the seat is in use.

The above is a description of the apparatus as disclosed in my former application, to which my improvements are now applied.

It has been found that in rapidly driving the portable water -battery to or from the scene of a fire the platform E rocks or jumps up from the opening in the frame A, producing a clattering sound and much jarring of the machine. The vibration and jar are liable to cause injury to the parts thus jolted, and the parts of juncture are worn away very rapidly To remedy this, I apply a bolt 1, extending over the edge of the platform E and moving in a guide 2, secured on the frame A, the end of the bolt 1 being pivoted to a link 3, bent laterally and then pivotally secured to one of the legs Z of the drivers seat. When the seat is thrown back for driving, the bolt 1 is carried over the edge of the platform and prevents vertical vibration thereof, and when the seat is thrown forward the bolt 1 is drawn out of engagement with said platform and releases the same.

It having been found that with rigid supplypipes it was difficult for the firemen to make the necessary connections with the hose from the separate engines on account of the cramped space beneath the battery, I have provided means for remedying this defect.

The supply-pipes K, which discharge into the siamesingchamber T, are provided at their ends with flexible hose-sections 10, each provided with the customary female hose-coupling 11, with studs 12. To receive said studs, I provide sockets 13 in forked arms 1 1, extending from a rock-shaft 15. Said shaft 15 is rocked by a lever 16, connected by a link 17 to a guide 18, the latter having a latch 19, actuated by a spring 20, said guide 18 sliding vertically in a way 21. When the several hose-sections 10 have been laid in place and are supported by the forked arms 14 and the shaft 15 has been rocked to raise said hosepipes until their ends are brought into proximity with the end of the frame A, as shown in Fig. 5, the latch 19 will automatically e11- gage a bolt 22, adapted to slide in a guide 23. Said bolt is normally pressed outward by an extension 24 thereof abutting against a suitable bracket 25 on the movable platform E;

drops, as do also the outer ends of the arms 14. These arms then incline at such at an-.

gle that the "hose-pipes 10 immediately fall out of their sockets and are ready for coupling. The latch 19 may, however, by means of the finger-piece 29, be moved back to release the free ends of the hose-sections independently of any movement of the platform E.

After using the battery the platform is replaced in the opening in the frame, and in so doing the bracket 25 comes into engagement with the extension 24 of the bolt and presses said bolt outwardly against the force of the spring 26 until the outer end of the bolt 22 overhangs the edge of the frame A and the guideway 21. When the hose-sections are placed, in their respective arms, said arms are raised by lifting the guide 18 until the mouths of the sections are below the frame A, as shown in Fig. 5, and then the latch 19 automatically engages said bolt 22 and retains the hose-sections in their raised positions.

30 represents a short pipe leading from the chamber T, provided with a spraying device 31 and stop-cock 32. This spraying device is advantageous when the apparatus is moved so close to the fire that the heat therefrom inj uriously aifects the operator. In such a case the fiow of water may be turned on through the spraying device and will serve to counteract the effect of the heat radiated from the fire. In order to permit the spray to be thrown in anydesired direction, I provide a ball-and-socket connection 35 for the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a portable water-battery, the combination, with the frame, the siamesing-chamher, and the platform therefor movably mounted on the frame, of a movable seat on the frame, and a bolt for locking the platform to the frame, said bolt being operated by the movement of said seat, substantially as described.

2. In a portable water-battery, the combination, with the frame, the siamesing-chamher, and the platform therefor movably mounted on the frame, of a drivers seat on the frame, mounted on vibrating legs, a bolt locking the platform to the frame, and a link connecting the bolt with one of the legs, sub* stantially as described.

3. In a portable water-battery, the combination,with the supply-pipes, of flexible hosesections connected to said pipes, a rock-shaft, arms extending from said shaft, said arms being provided with sockets, and studs on the free ends of the sections, resting in said sockets, substantially as described.

4. In a portable water-battery, the combisections connected to said pipes, a support for the free ends of all the pipes, and a latch holding said support, and adapted to be operated independently of the movement of the platform to release the free ends of the hosesections, substantially as described.

HENRY I'I. GORTER.

Witnesses:

I FRANCIS M. WRIGHT,

HARRY J; LAsK'. 

